Part of a rotten ceiling of one of the chambers of the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s court fell yesterday on Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Persid Edmond along with bat droppings, causing her to suffer sneezing and eye irritation.
The magistrate was on her way to the washroom when the ceiling collapsed. She was stopped in her tracks as she was covered in the debris which got into her eyes.
Reports are that she had to visit the doctor and was treated for the redness and swelling in her eyes and has to return in a week’s time for further treatment.
Reports are that the magistrate was advised by a senior official to “shut down the court.” She was also forced to call off sessions at a West Coast Berbice court which was fixed for yesterday afternoon.
Sources told this newspaper that the incident could have been avoided as the administration was aware of the condition of the ceiling. They said that officials from Georgetown visited recently and conducted inspections. They said the officials should have seen the urgency in having the ceiling repaired as something worse could have happened.
They lamented the “terrible working conditions” of the magistrates in Berbice, pointing out that those in authority “want the backlog of cases to be cleared up. But how can the magistrates function effectively if they [officials] do not provide better facilities?”
After the ceiling collapsed some observers said it seemed as though it contained asbestos and this was very dangerous.
The chambers at some of the magistrate’s courts are not equipped with fans or proper furniture and do not have “running water” in the washrooms. The Albion court, they said has no washroom and water facilities and this poses a problem for the magistrate during long court sessions.
Observers said too that prisoners have to pass close to one of the chambers of the NA court and said that that practice is “dangerous” for the magistrate.
On July 1, a high-profile prisoner hurled a book, titled:
“Deceit of Lucifer” at Magistrate Chandan-Persid Edmond as she was leaving the ‘further remand centre’ in NA because he was not granted bail.
Bishram Emmamudin of Canje had pulled out the book from his pants waist and flung it at the magistrate. It missed her by a few inches and landed on the desk in front of her.
The unarmed court orderly had just left the magistrate alone at the desk to assist the lone police officer to escort the prisoners down the stairs when the attack occurred.
